How to switch to an older kernel

M0M0 · 01-11-2021, 08:32 AM

I also asked that here:

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...183/page2.html

but thought it would be better idea to make a new thread for this.

Since I'm one of those where the system freezes regularly with the 5.10 kernel I would like to switch back to an older version. What is the easiest way to do that?

keefaz · 01-11-2021, 09:12 AM

Easy kernel downgrade would be install older kernel and kernel modules pakages, then update bootloader config, it requires having or finding these older packages tough

Did you try the modesetting X video driver?
In /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d remove video driver config file if present, then create a new one

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-modesetting.conf:

Code:

Section "Device"
     Identifier "Modesettings"
     Driver "modesetting"
     BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Bus ID value should be ok, check with /sbin/lspci | grep -i vga (just in case)

M0M0 · 01-11-2021, 09:29 AM

Ok, so does someone have these packages?

The file does not exist and the output of /sbin/lspci | grep -i vga is

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 620 (rev 02)

So BusID "PCI:1:0:0" is not correct, right?

Chuck56 · 01-11-2021, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0M0

Ok, so does someone have these packages?

Try here: http://slackware.uk/cumulative/

derekn13 · 01-11-2021, 10:00 AM

The absolute simplest way to switch to the modesetting driver is to uninstall (slackpkg remove) the xf86-video-intel package.

Yes, I know that's a violation of the Slackware "install everything" rule. But it's also easy to undo -- just reinstall the package.

M0M0 · 01-11-2021, 10:04 AM

So first I remove the package and then I reinstall it? Has something changed then?

derekn13 · 01-11-2021, 10:09 AM

Sorry, let me clarify. If you remove the xf86-video-intel package, the X server should automatically pick up the modesetting driver. Normally the intel driver has precedence -- if the X server finds both intel and modesetting, it will use intel.

If you later decide you want to undo this change, for whatever reason, all you have to do is reinstall xf86-video-intel.

I removed xf86-video-intel on my laptop a couple weeks ago, and I've been running the modesetting driver since then, with no crashes.

Chuck56 · 01-11-2021, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekn13

Sorry, let me clarify. If you remove the xf86-video-intel package, the X server should automatically pick up the modesetting driver. Normally the intel driver has precedence -- if the X server finds both intel and modesetting, it will use intel.

If you later decide you want to undo this change, for whatever reason, all you have to do is reinstall xf86-video-intel.

I removed xf86-video-intel on my laptop a couple weeks ago, and I've been running the modesetting driver since then, with no crashes.

Why do you recommend removing the xf86-video-intel package instead of blacklisting the intel_drv module?

M0M0 · 01-11-2021, 11:17 AM

Ok I removed xf86-video-intel and hope that this will solve the problem,thanks.

@Chuck56 intel_drv is a kernel module? Why do you think blacklisting this would be superior to removing xf86-video-intel?

keefaz · 01-11-2021, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0M0

Ok, so does someone have these packages?

The file does not exist and the output of /sbin/lspci | grep -i vga is

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 620 (rev 02)

So BusID "PCI:1:0:0" is not correct, right?

Correct, it should be: "PCI:0:2:0"
Note that if lspci returns only one VGA entry, you shouldn't need to add the BusID line in xorg device conf, it's only relevant for more than one video device

derekn13 · 01-11-2021, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck56

Why do you recommend removing the xf86-video-intel package instead of blacklisting the intel_drv module?

Because:

(1) When I first tried to figure out how to switch from intel to modesetting (about two weeks ago), all of the info I could find online suggested doing that.

(2) I believe it's simpler -- no need to figure out which BusID to use.

I presume either approach will work. What is the advantage of the config file approach?

You mentioned blacklisting. I'm assuming you mean the config file, as described by keefaz. If you have a third option, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

derekn13 · 01-11-2021, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0M0

@Chuck56 intel_drv is a kernel module? Why do you think blacklisting this would be superior to removing xf86-video-intel?

intel_drv and modesetting_drv are X drivers (implemented with shared libraries), not kernel modules. If you look in /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers, you'll see modesetting_drv.so and intel_drv.so. (The intel driver will be missing if you've uninstalled xf86-video-intel.)

Chuck56 · 01-11-2021, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0M0

Ok I removed xf86-video-intel and hope that this will solve the problem,thanks.

@Chuck56 intel_drv is a kernel module? Why do you think blacklisting this would be superior to removing xf86-video-intel?

I asked if blacklisting was a possibility instead of package removal. If an xorg module can't be blacklisted then that would answer my question.

LuckyCyborg · 01-11-2021, 01:08 PM

Save in a file named: /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf the following content

Code:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Intel Graphics"
    Driver      "modesetting"
    Option      "AccelMethod"    "glamor"
    Option      "DRI"            "3"
EndSection

After restart, for the Intel graphics will be used the modesetting driver which is much more stable.

That's all.

Chuck56 · 01-11-2021, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuckyCyborg

Save in a file named: /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf the following content

Code:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Intel Graphics"
    Driver      "modesetting"
    Option      "AccelMethod"    "glamor"
    Option      "DRI"            "3"
EndSection

After restart, for the Intel graphics will be used the modesetting driver which is much more stable.

That's all.

Of course, I forgot all about the xorg.conf file. It's been years since I needed to setup one of those files. Thanks LuckyCyborg!